Diary in America, Series Two | Page 3

excessive heat of the summer months. In
wet weather these panels are covered with leather aprons, which are
fixed on with battons, a very insufficient protection in the winter, as the
wind blows through the intermediate spaces, whistling into your ears,
and rendering it more piercing than if all was open. Moreover, they are
no protection against the rain or snow, both of which find their way in
to you. The coach has three seats, to receive nine passengers; those on
the middle seat leaning back upon a strong and broad leather brace,
which runs across. This is very disagreeable, as the centre passengers,
when the panels are closed, deprive the others of the light and air from
the windows. But the most disagreeable feeling arises from the body of
the coach not being upon springs, but hung upon leather braces running
under it and supporting it on each side; and when the roads are bad, or
you ascend or rapidly descend the pitches (as they term short hills) the
motion is very similar to that of being tossed in a blanket, often

throwing you up to the top of the coach, so as to flatten your hat--if not
your head.
The drivers are very skilful, although they are generally young men--
indeed often mere boys--for they soon better themselves as they
advance in life. Very often they drive six in hand; and if you are upset,
it is generally more the fault of the road than of the driver. I was upset
twice in one half hour when I was travelling in the winter time; but the
snow was very deep at the time, and no one thinks anything of an upset
in America. More serious accidents do, however, sometimes happen.
When I was in New Hampshire, a neglected bridge broke down, and
precipitated coach, horses, and passengers into a torrent which flowed
into the Connecticut river. Some of the passengers were drowned.
Those who were saved, sued the township and recovered damages; but
these mischances must be expected in a new country. The great
annoyance of these public conveyances is, that neither the proprietor or
driver consider themselves the servants of the public; a stage-coach is a
speculation by which as much money is to be made as possible by the
proprietors; and as the driver never expects or demands a fee from the
passengers, they or their comforts are no concern of his. The
proprietors do not consider that they are bound to keep faith with the
public, nor do they care about any complaints.
The stages which run from Cincinnati to the eastward are very much
interfered with when the Ohio river is full of water, as the travellers
prefer the steam-boats; but the very moment that the water is so low on
the Ohio that the steam-boats cannot ascend the river up to Wheeling,
double the price is demanded by the proprietors of the coaches. They
are quite regardless as to the opinion or good-will of the public; they do
not care for either, all they want is their money, and they are perfectly
indifferent whether you break your neck or not. The great evil arising
from this state of hostility, as you may almost call it, is the disregard of
life which renders travelling so dangerous in America. You are
completely at the mercy of the drivers, who are, generally speaking,
very good-tempered, but sometimes quite the contrary; and I have often
been amused with the scenes which have taken place between them and
the passengers. As for myself, when the weather permitted it, I

invariably went outside, which the Americans seldom do, and was
always very good friends with the drivers. They are full of local
information, and often very amusing. There is, however, a great
difference in the behaviour of the drivers of the mails, and coaches
which are timed by the post-office, and others which are not. If beyond
his time, the driver is mulcted by the proprietors; and when dollars are
in the question, there is an end to all urbanity and civility.
A gentleman of my acquaintance was in a mail which was behind time,
and the driver was proceeding at such a furious pace that one jerk threw
a lady to the top of the coach, and the teeth of her comb entering her
head, she fainted with pain. The passengers called out to the driver to
stop. "What for?" "That last jerk has struck the lady, and she has
fainted." "Oh, that's all! Well, I reckon I'll give her another jerk, which
will bring her to again." Strange to say, he prophesied right; the next
jerk was very violent, and the lady recovered her senses.
Mr E, an employe of the American government, was travelling in the
state of